Stonekettle Station has a new blog post. It’s good. In fact, it is today’s MUST read.
(from the link): “…to make it even more confusing, congressional leaders who were just last week describing to us just how awful Sequestration is, are now suddenly telling us, wait, hang on, Obama says it’s bad, so it must be good.
We’ve always been at war with Eastasia, right? Or was it Eurasia? I forget.”
[Lots of easy-to-understand words on exactly what sequestration is, when it started, great examples of exactly what will happen, all the details. Hint: The term itself, Sequester, used in the context of the US federal budget originated in the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Deficit Reduction Act of 1985.]
“And that triggered the Budget Control Act’s self-destruct clause, Sequestration.
But Republicans weren’t worried.
See, they were sure, absolutely sure, that they’d win back the White House, then they wouldn’t have to deal with Barack Obama. So they crossed their arms and petulantly refused to do their job – and why should they? They get paid the same whether they work or not.
And now here it is, 2013, and they still can’t believe that Obama won reelection. It pisses them off. As a result, they’ve decided to make the entire country pay for their humiliation.
I think the main reason repukes are embracing the sequester is that it will further slow the economy and maybe even tank it again. Ezra Klein had a great piece on Lawrence O’s show this week about how Fed Chair Ben Bernanke politely told Senators that they were doing the exact opposite of what needed to be done to fix the economy. What we need now is short term stimulus and long term deficit reduction. Instead, the sequester does short term spending reduction, the worst possible thing, while not at all addressing long term deficit issues, which are the real structural problems in the economy.
So? Yippeee. Repukes have figured the way to win house and senate seats in 2014 is to keep strangling the economy and hope voters blame Democrats and the White House. But judging from recent polling, that’s not happening and the republicants are making another serious miscalculation that will keep them in the wilderness and keep our nation’s economy from righting itself and growing.
On an unrelated personal note, I hope Indy returns soon. I miss her and her insights and humor. I miss her passionate posts. I hope she knows she is missed and certainly no one meant to offend her if that is what happened. Surely, we can all disagree from time to time without taking offense. We’re a family here, and I don’t want to lose anyone.
I seem to feel lost too but it is because I seem to be no longer a part of this blog too? I still come here everyday but other then reply I can not post?
Do they really have to have a debate on the protection of women? Who are those opossed to it hard line Islamics?
Oh RD, you are so much a part of this blog. You have no idea how much we missed you when you were gone. Perhaps Fnord can get you set up to post again. I’m not so good with the technical issues but your dashboard may need something.
Also, these days, I have to sign in every time I try to post. I think something may have changed at Word Press, but it wants me to log in way more frequently than it used to.
Rest assured, RD, you are loved and treasured here.
thank you so much, it does not even give me the ablity to log-in. I sure hope so I get so tired of talking to myself and nobody eles sees to want to hear my opiion when it comes to Politics and life. LOL I finally got the hint after so many time of my wife rolling her eyes!
I remember meeting your wife and liking her a lot. I know the few people I talk with get tired of my rants too, but the political stuff right now gives lots of ranting material.
I’m working from home right now so don’t have as much time to spend here as I’d like. Mostly in the mornings and over lunch when clients are hard to reach. I think a number of us check in, but we all keep such different schedules that it is hard to get a real time discussion going.
We pass like ships in the night. Friendly ships, but we keep passing each other anyway and tooting our horns in the dark. And boy, is it dark in Kansas right now!
You will always be a HUGE part of this blog! I’m lost about your problem tho because I thought anyone and everyone could post — the first post goes to moderation and has to be approved but after that (except for the quirks like having to sign in too often…) the posts are made. Is there a box to type in? Make a post if there is. I think the worst thing that would happen would be that it would go to moderation, I would approve it and off we go.
I finally got it! Understood what you’re talking about! Woke up in the middle of the night and realized you were talking about starting threads. I have a hard head, I tell you.
Anyway, there is an account set up with the nic tosmarttobegop. I can set up another one under a different nic if you want! Now that we’re on the same page and I understand the problem, which nic would you like to use? After that nic is chosen you’ll need to use that nic to set up a WordPress account, and then finally I will be able to get you back in business!
Oh, Fnord, maybe you are right. I forgot she said she was moving. She and 617 and I had a rousing discussion on economics and we haven’t seen her since. So.. that’s what I get for fearing the worst. No matter what the reason for her absence, I hope she returns soon. I miss her. Period.
And I hope the move goes well and smoothly. I’d rather eat a big bowl of dirt than move. It’s one of my least favorite things in life, even when it’s a good move. I HATE moving!
I see the world waving buh-bye to the pope-str this morning. Like Nixon, he’s waving goodbye and taking off in a helicopter.
Any one else think Bennie is getting out of Dodge just in time? Rumor has it (and it is just a rumor) that the reason they are building him his swanky cloister INSIDE the Vatican is to give him immunity from prosecution from the many pending cases around the world as regards abuse by church clergy and affiliated employees. Since the Vatican is a sovereign nation, I don’t think any country can force Benedict, or whatever his name will be now, to be extradited. He’s sorta like Bush and Cheney in that regard.
I saw yesterday some polling that indicated the pope has a 31 percent favorable rating, the catholic church has a 30 percent favorable rating, and, wait for it, trailing the pack, the GOP has a 29 percent favorable rating.
Of course, as the wingnuts at TBTSNBN will say, “polls don’t matter.” hee hee. I think it’s kind of funny that the church, the pope and the GOP are all held is such low regard, no matter what the exact numbers might be.
Remember when Pastor Sam ordered the state insurance commissioner to return the millions in federal grant money it had received to set up state-run health insurance exchanges as mandated by the ACA? Remember also that Brownback said the Feds could come in and set up the exchange themselves?
Gee, this is how it worked in Oklahoma. Think this is also what happened in Kansas? That big money insurance salesmen scuttled the deal? Ya think? Gotta read.
Today the US Congress reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, helping to provide protection for victims of domestic violence.
Two members who didn’t help protect victims of violence: Rep. Tim Huelskamp and Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas. Just another example of far right GOP legislators putting partisan politics before the people they serve.
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Stonekettle Station has a new blog post. It’s good. In fact, it is today’s MUST read.
(from the link): “…to make it even more confusing, congressional leaders who were just last week describing to us just how awful Sequestration is, are now suddenly telling us, wait, hang on, Obama says it’s bad, so it must be good.
We’ve always been at war with Eastasia, right? Or was it Eurasia? I forget.”
[Lots of easy-to-understand words on exactly what sequestration is, when it started, great examples of exactly what will happen, all the details. Hint: The term itself, Sequester, used in the context of the US federal budget originated in the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Deficit Reduction Act of 1985.]
“And that triggered the Budget Control Act’s self-destruct clause, Sequestration.
But Republicans weren’t worried.
See, they were sure, absolutely sure, that they’d win back the White House, then they wouldn’t have to deal with Barack Obama. So they crossed their arms and petulantly refused to do their job – and why should they? They get paid the same whether they work or not.
And now here it is, 2013, and they still can’t believe that Obama won reelection. It pisses them off. As a result, they’ve decided to make the entire country pay for their humiliation.
And so here we are.”
http://www.stonekettle.com/2013/02/sequestration-and-self-inflicted-wounds.html
I think the main reason repukes are embracing the sequester is that it will further slow the economy and maybe even tank it again. Ezra Klein had a great piece on Lawrence O’s show this week about how Fed Chair Ben Bernanke politely told Senators that they were doing the exact opposite of what needed to be done to fix the economy. What we need now is short term stimulus and long term deficit reduction. Instead, the sequester does short term spending reduction, the worst possible thing, while not at all addressing long term deficit issues, which are the real structural problems in the economy.
So? Yippeee. Repukes have figured the way to win house and senate seats in 2014 is to keep strangling the economy and hope voters blame Democrats and the White House. But judging from recent polling, that’s not happening and the republicants are making another serious miscalculation that will keep them in the wilderness and keep our nation’s economy from righting itself and growing.
Sigh. And the hits just keep on rollin’….
On an unrelated personal note, I hope Indy returns soon. I miss her and her insights and humor. I miss her passionate posts. I hope she knows she is missed and certainly no one meant to offend her if that is what happened. Surely, we can all disagree from time to time without taking offense. We’re a family here, and I don’t want to lose anyone.
Come back, Indy. You are missed.
Did I miss something?
Here I’ve been thinking her absence is due to the move she mentioned… I feel lost. We can’t not have Indy with us! I wish I understood.
I seem to feel lost too but it is because I seem to be no longer a part of this blog too? I still come here everyday but other then reply I can not post?
Do they really have to have a debate on the protection of women? Who are those opossed to it hard line Islamics?
Oh RD, you are so much a part of this blog. You have no idea how much we missed you when you were gone. Perhaps Fnord can get you set up to post again. I’m not so good with the technical issues but your dashboard may need something.
Also, these days, I have to sign in every time I try to post. I think something may have changed at Word Press, but it wants me to log in way more frequently than it used to.
Rest assured, RD, you are loved and treasured here.
thank you so much, it does not even give me the ablity to log-in. I sure hope so I get so tired of talking to myself and nobody eles sees to want to hear my opiion when it comes to Politics and life. LOL I finally got the hint after so many time of my wife rolling her eyes!
I remember meeting your wife and liking her a lot. I know the few people I talk with get tired of my rants too, but the political stuff right now gives lots of ranting material.
I’m working from home right now so don’t have as much time to spend here as I’d like. Mostly in the mornings and over lunch when clients are hard to reach. I think a number of us check in, but we all keep such different schedules that it is hard to get a real time discussion going.
We pass like ships in the night. Friendly ships, but we keep passing each other anyway and tooting our horns in the dark. And boy, is it dark in Kansas right now!
You will always be a HUGE part of this blog! I’m lost about your problem tho because I thought anyone and everyone could post — the first post goes to moderation and has to be approved but after that (except for the quirks like having to sign in too often…) the posts are made. Is there a box to type in? Make a post if there is. I think the worst thing that would happen would be that it would go to moderation, I would approve it and off we go.
I hope!
Boy, am I not very good at this technology stuff…
I finally got it! Understood what you’re talking about! Woke up in the middle of the night and realized you were talking about starting threads. I have a hard head, I tell you.
Anyway, there is an account set up with the nic tosmarttobegop. I can set up another one under a different nic if you want! Now that we’re on the same page and I understand the problem, which nic would you like to use? After that nic is chosen you’ll need to use that nic to set up a WordPress account, and then finally I will be able to get you back in business!
Oh, Fnord, maybe you are right. I forgot she said she was moving. She and 617 and I had a rousing discussion on economics and we haven’t seen her since. So.. that’s what I get for fearing the worst. No matter what the reason for her absence, I hope she returns soon. I miss her. Period.
And I hope the move goes well and smoothly. I’d rather eat a big bowl of dirt than move. It’s one of my least favorite things in life, even when it’s a good move. I HATE moving!
I see the world waving buh-bye to the pope-str this morning. Like Nixon, he’s waving goodbye and taking off in a helicopter.
Any one else think Bennie is getting out of Dodge just in time? Rumor has it (and it is just a rumor) that the reason they are building him his swanky cloister INSIDE the Vatican is to give him immunity from prosecution from the many pending cases around the world as regards abuse by church clergy and affiliated employees. Since the Vatican is a sovereign nation, I don’t think any country can force Benedict, or whatever his name will be now, to be extradited. He’s sorta like Bush and Cheney in that regard.
I saw yesterday some polling that indicated the pope has a 31 percent favorable rating, the catholic church has a 30 percent favorable rating, and, wait for it, trailing the pack, the GOP has a 29 percent favorable rating.
Of course, as the wingnuts at TBTSNBN will say, “polls don’t matter.” hee hee. I think it’s kind of funny that the church, the pope and the GOP are all held is such low regard, no matter what the exact numbers might be.
Remember when Pastor Sam ordered the state insurance commissioner to return the millions in federal grant money it had received to set up state-run health insurance exchanges as mandated by the ACA? Remember also that Brownback said the Feds could come in and set up the exchange themselves?
Gee, this is how it worked in Oklahoma. Think this is also what happened in Kansas? That big money insurance salesmen scuttled the deal? Ya think? Gotta read.
http://wendellpotter.com/2013/02/health-insurance-producers-about-to-be-on-life-support/
Today the US Congress reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, helping to provide protection for victims of domestic violence.
Two members who didn’t help protect victims of violence: Rep. Tim Huelskamp and Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas. Just another example of far right GOP legislators putting partisan politics before the people they serve.
It’s about damn time.